NY nurse charged in death of group home resident

DEWITT, N.Y. (AP) -- A 35-year-old nurse from Syracuse has been charged in the death of a group home resident who died after receiving inadequate oxygen overnight.

Court papers provided to the Syracuse Post Standard identify the patient as 25-year-old Dennis Dattolo. An investigation by a state agency found Dattolo didn't receive oxygen for 8 hours under the care of nurse Tanya Lemon at the Briarwood Lane group home in suburban DeWitt.

Lemon was charged after investigators received a complaint that she was sleeping at the state-run group home instead of checking the patient's oxygen tubes.

Lemon was arrested by DeWitt police Wednesday and is being held at the Onondaga County jail on $15,000 bail. It could not be determined if she has a lawyer.

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